Bridging the Gulf

The Emirates Foundation’s Tawteen Programme objective is to encourage young Emiratis to work in the private sector, upgrade their skills and find meaningful employment.

DLA Piper was chosen to be the lead partner of Tawteen’s “Women in the Workplace Programme” with the goal of encouraging UAE women to enter the private sector and research the obstacles that prevent UAE women from entering the workplace.

The initiative was two pronged: it consisted of a three week intensive entrepreneurship course in conjunction with the Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank and Tawteen, for nineteen aspiring female graduates from the University of the UAE in Al Ain. DLA Piper also offered a free legal advice workshop on setting up a business in the UAE, followed by individual pro-bono legal advice on various commercial challenges. In addition, results of the research on the obstacles preventing UAE women from entering the workplace were used as the basis for toolkits distributed by Tawteen to private sector companies wishing to employ Emirati females.

In the spring of 2009, we supported Tawteen on their career guidance counselling project where we provided work experience to two female Emirati school students for one week at our Abu Dhabi office. This experience was very positive for the students and gave them an insight into the world of work as well as demonstrating what opportunities are available to them in the corporate sector.

In the summer of 2009, DLA Piper Middle East took part in the “Al Tahaddi Challenge” where with several private sector companies, we were asked to help come up with solutions regarding the employment of UAE nationals in the private sector. Four UAE students and their trainer visited our Dubai office to meet with the Emiratis working at DLA Piper and some of our managers. The students presented the findings and solutions from their research at a showcase event.

Finally, our lawyers have offered pro-bono workshops on setting up businesses in the UAE to young UAE women entrepreneurs. The first was for the students of the University of Dubai following the entrepreneurs programme and the second was for the Women and Leadership conference held in Oct 2009 under the patronage of Her Royal Highness, Princess Haya Bint al Hussein of Dubai.